I know that Robert Duvall starred in a film about Scottish football a few years ago which, beyond a few clips on the telly, has never seen the light of day in Britain, but I still can't quite get my head round the fact that a Hollywood actor who starred in such great films as 'Apocalypse Now'; 'Godfather'; 'MASH'; and 'Network' amongst others is a drinking mate of Jimmy Johnstone, the greatest footballer to ever play for Celtic.*
It's a small world but I wouldn't want to leaflet it.
"You know wee Jimmy Johnstone, the Celtic player . . . He was the No. 1 character I've met in my life and I've met a lot. I named a dog after him. He sings like Neil Diamond. When he was drunk we had to put him in a cab but not before he'd hugged a few flight attendants. Isaid to the cab driver: 'This guy must be second only to Jesus Christ', and the cabbie says: 'No, he's before Jesus Christ.' " From Monday's London Metro newspaper
*He was voted the greatest Celtic player of all time in some poll conducted last year. 'Fraid I can't find the link, but he polled above other greats such as Jimmy McGrory, Kenny Dalgleish, Danny McGrain, Billy McNeill, Charlie Tully, Henrik Larsson, Bobby Murdoch, Bobby Evans, Bertie Peacock and Bobby Lennox amongst many others. (I double checked but I'm certain Wayne Biggins didn't make the list).
10 comments:
Christ, I forget to mention Lubo Moravcik in my list of great Celtic players - shocking.
Gan on, celebrate your past cos wor lot will be giving your lot a reet gannin ower the neet mind bonny lass:)
Sadly, I think you may have a point about being a difficult season for Celtic coming up. The jury is still out on Camara, and I don't think we can rely on Lennon scoring the extra goals from midfield ;-)
If it is going to be a bad season Celtic, where else am I to get my vicarious thrills from? My politics? Shite - it's going to be a long eight months ;-)
Time to crow Ingrate. Us 2 them 1 - AND CAMARA SCORES!!!!! And we were all over them, apparently.
Put all the worries behind us - this season will see us win the domestic treble and enjoy a run in Europe that takes us beyond the group stages. I can guarantee it.
Surely you didn't deliberately omit Martin Hayes from your list of Celtic greats Mel?
You beat me to it, Reidski.
I am by nature, 'the glass is half empty' sort of guy -membership of the SPGB does that to you ;-)- so I'd sooner be downbeat and be proved wrong that sound like a big time charlie (otherwise known as being a Chelski supporter). Camara has pleasantly proved me wrong straightaway and it looks like he is carrying his good late form from his time at Wolves.
However, I remember seeing all the names linked to Celtic pre-season, and I guess I'm gutted that they didn't get close to getting any of them. It would have been magic if Celtic could have signed Solkjaer (wrong spelling, no doubt).
It has been a weird pre-season: spanked by Liverpool and Chelsea but beating Man Utd, Fulham and Newcastle. I know pre-season means bugger all usually, but I do think it will tough this coming season. Rangers will be stronger this year. Whatever else can be said - McLeish is a good manager.
Jim,
it wasn't my list. If I remember rightly it was a bona fide poll in which some of the people asked were former Celtic players.
Like you, I was shocked that Martin Hayes was missed off the list. Also no mention of Cascarino also - I can only put it down to an anti-English bias* on the part of those people polled.
*It has since been established that despite winning 50 plus caps for the Republic of Ireland, the nearest that Cascarino has come to Irish heritage is that one time he turned up at Dublin's Abbey Theatre thinking it was where Cambridge United played their home games.
Reidski,
I was at the game last night and Celtic were far from all over us. Pretty lucky, scrappy winning goal in last minute for your lot. I thought Newcastle were way ahead of Celtic in the first half then after we got our goal the players played it out like a friendly if you get my drift. No great deal mind. Was a good game and both teams had majority first teams out. Toon fans were great all night as well. I was pleased the Celtic fans even applauded Shearer off the park when he got taken off, even though I know that was only to show the bluenoses how to be civilised like.
There is as yet undiscovered Amazonian Indian Tribes in the Amazon Basin that could show Rangers supporters how to be civilised. ;-)
Will, your report of the game sounds even better than Reidski's. On the defensive for half the game then winning with a last minute goal - fingers crossed it was a lucky deflection.
I couldn't have written the script better myself.
Great fun! You totally make up a story about what happened at a match you neither attended nor seen or heard any reports about and people take you seriously. Superb! I'll go with mel on this one, Will's report of the match makes it even better than my fictional account. I've always loved lucky wins. Remember the '90s when we would regularly play the Govan boys off the pitch but they somehow managed to score more goals than us? Pity sometimes that the point of the beautiful game is to put the ball in the back of the net.
Anyway, as to the all-time great Celts list - where's the likes of Chris Hay, Vider Riseth, Phil O'Donnell, Simon Donnelly and every single player that Liam Brady put out on the pitch?
Don't you also remember the stick that David Moyes used to put up with every game he played? How the fallen have become mighty!
To get serious, if that's possible about sport, Rangers are definitely going to put up a better challenge this season - bring it on!
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